Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Back from Jamaica with a Cookbook Giveaway!

So I'm back to business here at 28Cooks. And during my absence, I actually took a much-needed vacation to Jamaica. It was absolutely incredible! We stayed at a newer resort in Runaway Bay, the Gran Bahia Principe, which I highly recommend. It was huge with over 860 rooms, but it never felt crowded. The food was actually pretty good, considering it was an all-inclusive, and we only stood in 1 line for about 5 minutes for dinner one night. We also got the chance to climb the Dunn's River Waterfalls, which were beautiful and amazing, as well as take a Jeep tour down through a few towns and then up into the mountains. All in all, it was a fantastic trip.

And when I returned, I found a box of cookbooks awaiting me. A publishing company had offered to send me 1, but actually sent me 6! So their mistake is your gain! I'm giving away 5 copies of Baking Unplugged.

This book is specifically taking baking back to the basics and starting from scratch. There are plenty of good old recipes, such as Sour Cream Crumb Cake, Blueberry Muffins, and Moist Vanilla Pound Cake.

And all you have to do is simply leave me a comment and tell me what your favorite baked good is, whether it is to bake it or to eat it. That's it! Simply leave your comment by March 14th and I'll pick a winner at random and post on the 15th.

Favorite to eat is Hobee's blueberry coffee cake, mmm! Favorite to make myself is probably banana bread, with walnuts and coconut -- though I love making cakes too, and pies, and cookies, muffins, brownies... I have a major sweet tooth.

haha! nice mistake! glad you had a wonderful vacation... i'm currently planning our vacation... we want a warm beach... :) I like to make and eat brownies the most I think... I can't get enough of them!

my fave baked good is this thing my brother makes called monster bars. they are basically brownies topped with drizzled chocolate, marshmallows, m&ms, smashed up snickers, and probably some other stuff that i'm not remembering.

Nothing beats a quick loaf of Irish soda bread on a cold wintery night after work. There are plenty of more creative, more involved things I love to make, but soda bread's the tops for guaranteed satisfaction in my book!

My favorite thing to bake would have to be scones. and eating them is definitely the best! especially with some clotted cream, jam, a piping hot cup of tea - and a romantic movie (pride and prejudice for example :p )

Luv Croquembouche! Filled with ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce, as well as cream filled and stacked beautifully tall with caramel (our wedding cake). I've tried to make so many times, to no avail...never as yummy :(

My favorite baked good is the most unhealthy thing on the menu. The good old Methodist recipe for Dump Cake. How do you make it you may inquire. Its Simple, Just Dump everything in a dish! One can cherry filling, one can pineapple in a 9x 13 baking dish. One bag yellow cake mix sprinkled on top. One stick of butter cut into 10+/- pieces and placed methodically on top. Put in 350 deg oven till brown.

Favorite to bake is probably a simple scone - warm and yummy with butter melting. New favorite to eat is heresa - made with cream of wheat (farina), yogurt, butter, milk. Pour over a syrup made with lemon juice and orange flower water. Like baklava only not flaky!

My favorite baked good to eat would be lemon bars. But a close second and my favorite to bake is Banana bread. I try a new recipe every time and often find myself buying bananas not to eat but to let get good and black for baking!

My favorite baked good is bread, because you can make all different kinds: sweet, sour, nutty, fruity, and the list goes on forever. I especially like to get my hands into the dough, knead it, and shape it into something beautiful and delicious! My friend says, "There is a lot of religion in a well-made loaf of bread!"

It’s a Fact, Chef Tom Colicchio, despises and has total disdain towards Chef Grant Achatz and everything he has worked so hard to build, namely his restaurant Alinea and his original style of Molecular Gastronomy.

Moving forward, what is even more distaining is the fact that by virtue of his actions, he also has now shown disrespect and loathing toward other great Chef’s namely: Juan Roca, Feran Adrian, Heston Blumenthal, Anthony Flinn, Willie Dufresne, Thomas Keller, but also to these resuarants and all their hard working staff El Bulli, Mugaritz, Moto, WD-50, The Fat Duck, Pierre Gagnaire, Arzak, Alkimia, Martin Berasategui, Akelarre to name a few.

So what are these factual actions I speak of??? When someone does a TV commercial and generates income from their involvement as a spokesperson and as a person of so called deemed authority in which millions of Americans will watch and offers negativity… they should be responsible for their actions. I believe Americans of late have had enough of this “all care but no responsibility” attitude (look at the banks and CEO’s).And before Tom’s PR Peeps try to gloss over this as a mere fun campaign for Diet Coke…. Too late … The damage has been done. And you have overstepped your mark !!!

my favourite baked good is biscotti! just because i love to eat this delicious treat, it is so easy to make (apart from breaking a spatula once trying to stir the sticky mess) but cost a bomb outside here in Malaysia, it is perfect for breakfast/snack and to top it off, it is guilt free!

My mom and I used to bake a crust-less Ricotta cheesecake with raspberry topping for this hippie restaurant in the 80's. Still to this day I love making this cake more than anything. The raw macaroons with rose and lime oils are a close second though :)

Great recipe!! The combination is truly fascinating. banana bread with mini chocolate chips all are nutritious and good for health. So a both combination is likely to be tasty and healthy alike. thank you for shearing your post.